Beautifully Scarred (Sequel to the Elite)
by TrulyJustJane
Summary: I want it to be mine. I want him to be mine. I can see it, but it's completely out of reach. One wrong step, and my world could shatter.
1. Chapter 1 - America the Brave

The King's eyes scowl directly at me. Dinner is quiet, far too quiet for the norm. I don't do anything about it though, because of the King's words that are engraved in my head: "_You're going to need to learn to hold your tongue. If not you and I will be enemies. Trust me when I say that you do not what to be my enemy."_

My plate, which I typically find room to eat all of, remains untouched. It's been a few days since the attack. It's also been a few days too many of my growing fear of the King. But, lastly, it's been a few days of planning - and not for the country, but for myself.

I shift my vision from my empty plate up to Maxon, who stares straight at me. He reaches for his ear, tugs it, and sends a slight smile in my direction. We haven't been together alone since I've been back in the castle, and I don't know how ready I am for it, anyways. I slightly shake my head, refusing his offer, and my vision trails back down to my untouched food.

I easily could've said yes, but I'm not ready. If I go, I could've messed something up, and I'd rather not risk my time here at the palace, or worse, with Maxon. The plans that my Anne, Lucy, Mary, and I compiled up so far are fragile - they could shatter by one wrong misstep.

When the royal family excuses us from dinner, I hurry up to my room to avoid any of the other girls. I almost trip rushing up the steps, but I find my balance, continuing on my journey to my bedroom.

I fling the door open, startling the maids who are holding a sheet of paper. Anne smiles at my presence, or maybe my ungracefulness. Maybe both. "Lady America, we have your final plan, and I believe you'll love it."

I return the smile and plop myself on the bed, next to Lucy. Anne continue to speak. "We already know you hold a special place in Maxon's heart, and everything you do will affect him in some sort of way. You mentioned that he wanted to earn trust in you, correct?" All three maids wait for an answer. I nod my head in response. "Perfect. Well, we scratched our previous plans for these."

My eyes scanned the sheet - there was only one line of writing that read: _Change nothing._

"Change nothing? But do you know how hard it will be for him to love me after everything that happened? I can't just change nothing, it won't work." I worry, furrowing my eyebrows together.

Anne sighs, but Lucy pipes up. "You did it once before, why can't it happen again? There must be something special about you that he is holding onto."

Lucy has a point, but I am already off to a bad start. If I am just me, I would have accepted Maxon's offer to see each other, but I didn't. I would've chatted amongst the girls for a little, or even at dinner I might've said something.

"Well, maybe we have this all wrong. Maybe it should be to find who you were before you came to the castle or before you met Maxon." Mary states further. The maids all nod their heads in agreement, and I join in, agreeing with them.

Maybe that is all I did need to do - just discover myself again. I'm not some apparent targeted rebel or some Lady in a castle, I was America Singer, a Five.

The maids leave me to my lonesome and I take all of this in. Discover myself. Discover myself as America Singer. Well, I have an idea where to start. Ambling to the dresser, I open the drawer and pulled out my violin, which I haven't played in ages.

My fingers move in such grace that the rest of me does not have. I begin playing May's favorite song - a peppy and difficult piece that took me a few days to master. Whenever I played it back home, May always listened with a beaming grin on her face.

Three knocks sound at the door and I stop my violin. I know it wasn't my maids, so that left my mind with thinking of two people: Aspen or Maxon. With my violin in my hand, I scurry to the door, heart pounding quickly, and tug it open to see Maxon standing there.

His lips purse together and he runs one of his hands through his blonde hair, avoiding eye contact at first. "I heard music when I was on a stroll and I figured it could only be one person." At this point in time, his eyes meet mine, and we both send each other a little grin. "Mind if I come in?"

"Not at all," I reply, almost sounding stiff and unlike me.

Maxon walked in and sat on the edge of my bed, staring at me. "When I heard the music, a smile was brought to my lips because I haven't heard you play anything in so long. It sounded like..." Maxon trails off, attempting to find the right thing to say, "music to my ears. Literally."

A small laugh escaped through the thin crevice of my lips. "Well, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I haven't played in a while. I just needed a little taste of home. It's hard to find that here when I'm enveloped in such luxury, you know?"

"Actually, I don't, but I understand where your coming from. It's nice to be reminded of what used to be." Maxon whispers, his voice so quiet that I can barely hear it. He silences himself after speaking, and I feel his eyes stare at me. My cheeks burn red.

I traipse to the drawer and put my violin away, then find room next to Maxon to sit. "Let me guess, you're not here because of the music, right?"

"That _could_ be part of the reason," Maxon answers, staring straight ahead. "I'm just confused as to why you denied my ear tug. You never do. It shocked me in that moment of time. But then I realized that you never fail to surprise me."

I never fail to surprise him. That's true. He continues to speak. "Ever since I've met you, you've always been so unpredictable. It's quite, quite lovely. Yet on the other hand, it's very irritable because I never know what you'll do next." Maxon chuckles a bit, turning his head toward me. Our eyes meet and my fingers begin to tingle - I want to wrap my arms around his neck and bury my fingers through his hair, getting lost and never finding a way out.

Would America Singer would do something like that? Or is it just something Lady America does?

"You're quiet. What's on your mind?" Maxon reaches for my hand, plays with my fingers, and eventually laces our hands together. I melt, just a little.

I sigh. "I'm losing my sense of who I used to be and I feel that if I find it, I'll -"

"Your Highness? Where are you?" A voice rings through the hallways, stopping me from speaking. Eventually, a guard stops in the door. He's one I haven't recognized - tall, dark-skinned, but handsome. "Sorry to interrupt, your Highness, but you are wanted by the King _immediately_."

"We'll continue another time, I promise," Maxon squeezes my hand ever so slightly, and sprints out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

Once again, I am alone, but instead of playing more music, I decide that wallowing in my past and in my loneliness will only do harm to myself. I force myself out of my room and stroll down the hallways, admiring the beautiful paintings. After going down the stairs, I see the doors to exit to the garden and decide to exit. The guards don't deny me access, they just let me pass, which surprises me because of the amount of damage the last attack did.

But as my feet touch the plush grass and I'm blinded by the sun, I finally feel like I'm America Singer. To heighten the feeling, I slip off my shoes and carry them in my left hand, watching my pedicured feet sink even deeper into the grass.

After a few minutes outside, I walk back in and decide to go the Women's Room where Elise, Celeste, and Kriss all sat in front of the television. Of course, Elise and Kriss keep their distance from Celeste. When I walk in, all of their eyes trail up to me. None of them say anything, which almost worries me.

I amble to view the television better, where the Report is playing. On it features a picture of me - a still shot of when I announced that I should eliminate the caste system. Then it flips to a video of a bunch of people gathered together, chanting something I couldn't make out. The shot zooms into a sign, and my mouth drops.

The chanting becomes clearer as I read the sign.

"America The Brave" reads the signs and chants the crowd. A picture of me - another sign - is held by a few other people, still chanting.

Through the cries, I hear a voice that yells, "America, lead us to freedom!"

My eyes fill with tears, creating a blurry image in front of me. I hear a gunshot through the television, and a yelp escapes through my lips as I stand and run out of the room, up the stairs, and into my room. Tears continue to escape, and I just scream, pounding my fists on the wall.

_America The Brave? _Why are they looking up to _me?_


	2. Chapter 2 - Guarding Thoughts

**Wait. Oh my goodness. So I go to bed last night and I wake up with such positive reviews. GUUUYYYYYSSSSS I love you all! Thank you thank you thank you! I didn't expect anyone to read or even like my story; I'm a newbie to writing on this website so it's all foreign territory to me.**

**Well, I had a question, and it was if there is going to be Maxon and Aspen drama. I'm guessing you mean with America, and DUUUHHHH it wouldn't be fun without it! ;)**

**Well, here's chapter 2. Enjoy lovelies!**

Chapter 2

I didn't mean for anything this big to happen, I just stated my opinion and reasons how we could rid of the caste system. Now the people want me to lead _them_? To freedom? How am I supposed to lead a bunch of people to freedom if I'm not even allow to have freedom myself? I was offered a world out of my reach; not exactly offered, to be precise, but _given_ a world out of my reach. I was given a world that I don't even know if I could handle.

Equality. That's what I want. If I compare the way I lived as a Five and the way Celeste lived as a Two, the two would be worlds apart. She's drowned in luxuries I wouldn't have even known existed before coming to the palace. And Aspen, as a former Six, struggled just to feed his family.

Aspen.

I tried pushing him out of my brain for the past few days, but he just found his way back in. He hasn't been standing guard at my door after the accident. Maybe he's been moved to a different job, but the thought of him causes my heart to ache. No matter how hard I try not to reminisce our feelings, they always come back. Never like a tidal wave, but like soft waves crashing onto shore, each adding a little more damage to the shoreline than there was before. It hurts. But he did hurt me.

My mind floats back to what I saw on the Report. Did I really cause such fury among the people? Or did I just give them an idea?

Too upset to keep myself trapped in my room for the second time today, I make the decision to take another walk around the palace to clear my head. I decide to take the routes I rarely travel - like turning right out of my bedroom instead of left. I know my way around the palace, but I prefer to take certain routes, ones I am comfortable with.

Turning down a few hallways I've traveled only a couple times, a soft pair of voices buzzed from the distance. Well, they didn't seem too soft, they seem more rough and loud. I follow the voices until I'm guided down a few more hallways, where the voices I make out are Maxon and the King's.

"Father, I cannot just let her go! It's more than a game of politics. She means something to me. Would you have let Mother go if she did the same thing America did?" Maxon's voice fights for my existence at the castle.

With his strong, ferocious voice, King Clarkson replies, "Yes, Maxon, I would have rid of her immediately if your mother did something that stupid! Do you see what she's doing to our country? She's ripping it to shreds and isn't doing anything to stop it. That doesn't sound like someone who you should marry, son. She's evil - pure evil!"

"I can promise you, she's anything but! Let me talk with her, I bet I can get her to mend her idea and we can figure something out to make her a key figure in the rebellion. Please, father, do not give up on me." Maxon begs, and I feel my hand cover my mouth, stopping me from sobbing loudly. He's fighting a battle I should be fighting myself. I hate not being able to stand up for myself.

Before the doors open, I sprint around the corner and hide against the wall, hoping the two walk the other way. As I hear footsteps in my direction - angry ones I might add - I worry, because I begin to believe King Clarkson is headed in my direction. Luckily for me, I see Maxon turn the corner and his eyes land straight on mine.

He stops in his tracks, furrowing his eyebrows. "Darling, are you alright?" His eyes widen in fear as I run into him, letting all my sobs out. "Did you hear what just happened?"

I nod my head into him, and he wraps his hands around the small of my back, pulling me in and binding me with comfort. "America, darling, I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise you that you are safe here. Don't let those words get to you. You're my America, you're tough."

My sniffling comes to a halt._ I'm his America. _It sounds nice when he says it, but it might not last long. There's a strong possibility I could be leaving this castle.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause such trouble. I meant to do the opposite, but..." my voice halts as tears continue to well in my eyes, "but whatever I do, someone's going to get hurt, Maxon, and I hate the thought of that."

Maxon sighs, loosening the hug. He grabs my hands and stares at me, nodding. "It's a hard thing to do - allowing someone to get hurt. But sometimes, you have to think of what's best for yourself, and in the end, someone is always going to get hurt. America, I think for now it'd be best to go to your room and be alone. I have meetings I need to attend that I really don't want to attend, but I'd get my butt kicked if I didn't go." He smiles slightly, making a joke about a serious matter. His grin disappears when he realizes I don't smile back. "What would America Singer from Carolina do in this situation? Take yourself back home, like you did with the music." Maxon quickly kisses my cheek, and takes off to his meeting.

I stand there, stunned at the fact that he remembered our conversation from earlier. So much happened from then until now, but he still remembered. That's one of the many things Maxon is good at, and it causes me to melt just a little more.

I pick up my feet, forcing myself to walk. Just as I turn the corner, I completely collide with a guard, causing both of us to fall on the floor with a loud and echoing "umph." When I look over to see who it is, a small laugh vacates my mouth. It's Aspen, and of course something like this would happen to us. It's strange, however, not seeing him guard my door and wandering the halls of the palace at this time of night. It's not close to my bedtime, but it's dark, meaning he usually is stationed at my door by now on a normal night.

"Lady America," he says as formally as possible, noticing a guard about 25 feet away. "I'm very sorry about this inconvenience."

I nod in his direction, still trying to act formal. "It's alright, it's my fault anyways. I've been nothing but an utter mess all day."

"Would you like me to escort you to wherever you are headed? I can spare some time. I was just headed back to guard your room, I didn't expect you out here."

He's going to be guarding my room again? This brought some kind of unknown feelings to me - joyous, disappointing, I couldn't tell. "Yes, that'd be great. I'm actually headed for the Women's Room, if you don't mind. I know it's kind of out of your way, but-"

"Mer, I don't mind," Aspen whispers fiercely, standing up and offering me his hand. I take it, and he aids me in standing. Once I'm upright, our faces are dangerously close, but I immediately back away - I don't want to cause any more trouble for the day. He grabs my forearm, escorting me like how he was taught to escort a Lady back in training.

Our walk begins in silence, which I expect because of where we left of last time we talked. I'm not motivated enough to say anything. But Aspen, after about thirty seconds of silence, says, "I'm sorry for what I did a few days ago, you know, forcing myself upon you. You seemed uncomfortable and I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions about... us." Aspen's voice remains quieter than a murmur. "I just thought you were mine again, and I thought too far ahead. That's something I tend to do - think of the future. Do you ever think of your future?"

"No," I say without thinking. "I don't."

Aspen stops and looks at me. "Why?"

I continue to walk, forcing him to walk as well. "Well, if I thought of the future, I'd create expectations of my future. You know, marrying you or marrying Maxon. Then if it doesn't happen, I'd be let down. That's why I live in the present."

"Oh."

Sooner than we both realize, we arrive at the Women's Room, occupied now only by Elise. She turns her head to see who it is, and she smiles and waves at me.

"Well, Mer, I'll see you later tonight." Aspen whispers under his breath. Speaking a little more loud, he says, "Have a nice night, Lady America."

I nod once in his direction, acknowledging him, then I pivot on my feet and stroll toward Elise. She still smiles at me, but her eyes look tired.

"What were you doing with that guard?" Elise asks as I sit down in the Women's Room. She occupies the room alone, but now with my company. Elise gracefully sets down her cup of tea and offers me some, but I deny. "The guard that walked you here. I thought we weren't allowed to talk with guards much."

I shrug, trying to play it casual. "He saw how much of a nonfunctional mess I was, so he calmed me down and walked me to the Women's Room. I didn't expect for anyone to see it, I guess."

Elise nods in response, taking a sip of her tea. "I mean, it's not a big deal at all, but my curiosity definitely got to me on that one. Sit, America. Come talk to me about how you're feeling. I feel that now since there are only four of us, I haven't had girl time in a while and it's kind of killing me a little."

She manages to put a smile on my face. As I sit next to her, I allow a sigh to escape my lips and bring the smile back down to a frown. "I never meant for it to get this out of hand. Everything seems so uncontrollable."

"I feel so bad for you, all of this bad publicity for something ridiculous. I mean, you just suggested getting rid of the caste system; it would be impossible to live without it. Imagine a life living equally among others. It seems... strange." Elise says, glancing over at me. "Did you know when you left, Celeste was jealous that you were getting all this publicity? She's worried about her rankings in the Selection among the people now."

We both let out small laughs, trying to cover up the tension in the room. "I'm nowhere near fit for a princess. I'd burn down the castle if I lived here long enough."

Once again, we both laugh, but it seems more forced this time. Elise knows I'm not fit for a princess or a queen, or even the royal life, but is too polite to say so. That's the definition of being fit for a princess.

"Well, I think I'm going to go to bed. It's been a long night, and it's definitely been longer for you," Elise states, standing up. "Goodnight America, try and get some sleep for me."

"Thank you Elise," I reply back as she walks away, sending me a sweet smile.

I stay in the Women's Room just a little longer, grabbing a magazine left - probably Celeste's. Flipping through the pages, there are endless pictures of the four girls left here in the castle, each with a different rumor. There are polls of the most popular Ladies left, and Celeste and I are tied for the first spot. Rolling my eyes, I slam the magazine back on the table and stand up, quickly walking to my room to get ready for bed.

My maids await my arrival, but no Aspen. For a little, I'm relieved - maybe he isn't guarding my door anymore. My maids help me dress in my nighttime pajamas. They say goodnight, and I tuck myself in bed, once again feeling alone. I hear a noise outside my door, like someone's footsteps up to it.

"Aspen?" I call out, turning toward the door to see it creak open. "Aspen, is that you?"

"Yes Mer, it's me," his shadow in the door becomes more apparent as he opens the door wider. "What do you need?"

I open my mouth, but the words don't come out. He called me Mer. I haven't heard that in a while. "Aspen, can you stay with me until I fall asleep?"

"Of course," he whispers back, shutting the door so no one would see. Aspen climbs into bed, wrapping his arms around me, and I instantly feel safe. "I never thought I'd see America Singer weak and afraid."

"I'm not weak and afraid," I counter back, turning to face him.

A smile plays on his lips. "I know. You never have been, or you never will be. You're my tough America."

And for some reason, those words sound familiar, but I drift to sleep immediately after I hear the last word.


	3. Chapter 3 - Freedom Designers

**Wow I really shouldn't be on here right now, I'm so busy with midterms coming up. I'm just saying that I won't be posting constantly - it will be erratic posts until next Friday. I'm so sorry! But after, I will try to get back into the schedule of posting every day.**

**I had a question asking how old I was. I am seventeen years old - a junior in high school. And guys, I'm extremely busy with school, sports, volunteering; it might be difficult to post daily. But I'll try, I really will. I love writing so much. **

**Here's chapter 3, enjoy my loves!**

Chapter 3

"Lady America, wake up, we have a lot to do today," Anne whispers in my ear, placing one hand on my bare shoulder. "There have been some things... planned abruptly, and we have to get a head start on the day because we are already behind. Today at 2 you and the other Ladies will be making an appearance on the Report and you will be apologizing for what you said about the caste system."

As I sit upward, my eyes widen and my mouth drops. "But I don't want to apologize for what I've said, just for what I've caused."

Lucy sends me a sympathetic look. "I know. So many people think you did the right thing, but King Clarkson doesn't, and he has the power. You will be apologizing, and he has a speech prepared for you. Then after the announcement, there's a dinner. We've already started working on your dresses, and we are very sorry for not having your approval on them. The dress for the apology is mediocre but the dress for the dinner - we believe that it will be absolutely stunning and will be the talk of the night. The whole staff has been working on this dinner all night, and we are completely exhausted on top of everything."

Climbing out of bed, my feet touch the cold tiled floor, and I point to my bed. "Please, get some rest. You guys do way too much for me, and you all can sleep for just a little as I ready myself. There's plenty of room for all three of you." I glance at all three maids, all of whom accept my offer.

While they jump into bed, I head into the bathroom with Aspen freshly on my mind. When did he leave my room? Did my maids see, or did anyone see for that matter? I run the water to the bathtub and strip of my clothing, allowing the hot water to soak my body. Cleaning my body and my hair as rapidly as I can, I stepped out, wrap a towel around my body, and open the door to see the maids peacefully sleeping.

Rummaging through my wardrobe, I pick a forest green dress that has a high neckline and cinches at the waist, flowing to above my knees and I pair it with a pair of black ballet flats. It is simple, but I have no other motivation to look more decent. With my hair still wet, I quickly braid it, letting it fall down my back.

With the girls still sound asleep in my bed, I sneak out the door and close the door as quietly as possible.

I practically run into Celeste, and she sends me a disgusted look. "Watch where you're going, country-killing _pauper._" Celeste's eyes look tired as she mocked my upbringings. They not only look tired, but sad. Instead of snapping back at her, I let her walk ahead of me in pride.

Once I enter the dining room, I take my usual seat and await the arrival of the royal family. Only three of us sit at the table - Celeste, Elise, and me. My mind spins in a thousand directions as I wonder if Maxon sent her home. He couldn't have, he didn't have a reason to. I almost feel joy thinking that I'm one step closer to being completely his.

And in an instant, all my hopes crash to the ground as I view Maxon and Kriss walking into the dining room together, laughing. "Maxon, you made us late," Kriss giggles, unwrapping her hand from Maxon's arm. Their heads whip forward, noticing us three girls sitting in front of them. Celeste curses under her breath, and I almost let out a laugh at it, because in my head I think the same unattractive words. She glances up at me and smiles ever so slightly, acknowledging my little laugh. Well, at least she finally reflected an act of kindness - I think - to me.

"Hello, ladies," Maxon greets us, and we all stand up to greet him back. He holds eye contact with me for a while, then breaks it as his parents walk in. "Hello mother, hello father."

We begin our breakfast feast - the King and Queen make smalltalk with Maxon, and the rest of us just listen. Celeste chirps into the conversation politely, and they talk about upscale things that the rest of us don't quite understand.

"Lady America," King Clarkson interrupts the buzzing conversation around. I glance upward from my food, which I have barely touched once again, and notice that all eyes are glued on me. "Have you heard the news? Well, this actually applies to all of you ladies, but specifically America."

I nod my head, and watch the other girls tilt theirs in confusion. "Yes, Your Highness, I have. I fully understand and accept because of what I have done." My voice sounds robotic-like, and I hope the others notice. Queen Amberly does, because she narrows her eyes in bafflement, like she expected me to deny the offer.

"Good good, I'm glad." He smirks, tilting his head back down to his food and ignores me.

I take a few bites of a pastry and place it back on my plate, breaking my gaze to steal a glimpse of Maxon. When I glance up, he's already staring straight at me; Maxon reaches his hand to his ear and tugs it. I nod in response.

We are eventually dismissed from breakfast, and Maxon and I both linger around for each other. Once everyone vacates the room, he grabs his arm to escort me. "To the garden?" Nodding my head, he smiles and we begin walking in silence, observing our surroundings or the pattern of our shoes scuffing against the tiles.

"Officer Pratt," Maxon tilts his head down in respect for the guard on duty as he opens the door for us. "Sir, I don't know if you have met Lady America."

He bows for Maxon and then for me. "Your Highness, thank you for the introduction, but I believe it's hard not to know a face like Lady America's."

"I believe you are absolutely correct," Maxon responds back, skimming the reaction of my face. I blush madly, and Maxon chuckles softly. "You never fail to amuse me, America."

My cheeks still redden, because everything he says tugs my strings. He does everything so effortlessly - flawlessly. "Well, I'm glad I do so." Taking a breath of fresh air, I smile at the once-so-foreign feeling of walking the gardens with Maxon. "It's beautiful out here."

Maxon stops, sliding his hand from my forearm to lace his fingers with mine. He kisses each finger, ever so delicately. "Not as beautiful as something else standing here with me." I lift my eyebrows and drop my mouth playfully, because of his complete cliché comment. "Overkill, I know." He chucks once again, allowing our intertwined arm to fall and dangle between us.

Finding the nearest bench, we sit down, dangerously close to each other. I listen to his breathing pattern, following it with my own breaths. My head finds his shoulder, and I rest it upon him, breathing in his aroma.

"What was my father talking about? Today at breakfast, I mean." Maxon questions, murmuring so softly I barely heard about. "You answered un-America-like. It worried me."

A sigh vacates through the crevice of my lips. "There's going to be a Report today at 2 and I'm reading my apology speech to the country for suggesting such a mayhem."

Maxon jerks his shoulder, pushing my head off. He unwraps his hand from mine and shifts his body to look straight at mine instead of forward. His eyebrows furrow deep into his eyes, like he's baffled. "But, America, you don't need to apologize for something you believe in. Why are you doing it?"

"I have no choice, Maxon. To be honest, it might even be good for me. Hopefully it'll quiet the rioters and they will stop asking me to lead them."

"Have you been okay recently? Because this isn't the America I know. The America I know fights for what she wants. You've proven that to me before. You are letting him win, and to be honest, I don't want him to win. He doesn't deserve to." Maxon's voice trails to utter quietness.

I grab his hand and squeeze it. "I'm still here, I promise." My voice sounds weakly strong. He cocks his head to catch a glimpse of me, and I bring my lips to his with such ferocity that Maxon gasps a little.

I feel him smile through the kiss, causing me to break out into a burst of giggles. When I begin to part our lips, he lightly wraps both his hands through my hair and keeps me close. Our lips separate and he holds me; the bridges of our noses touch and I feel his breath trickle down my neck. My eyes open, and we hold each other's stare.

"Sometimes I ask myself why I find myself running back to you but the answer is so simple," he whispers quietly, his eyes still locked on mine. "But you manage to alleviate all darkness in my life while no one else can seem to do so. I try to forget it when I'm with others, but I can't. With you, it's a completely different ballpark. Then when we separate, it all floods back into my brain. Then the thought of you pushes it back out again.

"That's why the thought of losing you was so scary - both you and fear were trapped in my brain and I hated that feeling. But right now, there's only you. Only you." He mutters, pursing his lips together. Closing his eyes, Maxon backs his head away from mine and reopens his eyes. My hands lightly glide across his cheek, caressing him in such a delicate manner.

I bite my lower lip, beginning to stand. "Well, I probably need to start getting ready for my appearance on the Report. Would you possibly-"

"Mind if I escort you back?" Not only is he a gentleman, but a mindreader. He finished my thoughts before I could even speak them completely.

And in silence, he escorts me up to my room, our minds running wild with words left unspoken. He leaves me at the door with a kiss on the cheek, and I'm left absolutely dazed - by our powerful kiss, by what he told me, and just everything about him.

Entering my room, my maids play cards waiting for my arrival. They jump and squeal when they catch sight of me.

"Lady America, we finished your dresses! We worked extra hard on them just so you could see them." Anne speaks, holding two dresses, but each dress is concealed with a dress bag over so they wouldn't be revealed immediately.

"Here's your Report dress," Mary states, laying it flat on my bed. It is absolutely gorgeous - a deep violet that is a strapless sweetheart neckline and falls all the way down to the door. My maids help me slip it on - it hugs my body in the right places. "We chose purple because it's the color of royalty and hopefully the King will recognize that you are trying to get over this mishap by supporting his color. It's not our best work."

The other maids nod, and I wrap my arms around all three of them. "This dress is gorgeous, I don't know how you believe that any dress could outdo this one. Thank you, so much."

Anne smiles ever so slightly, shaking her head. "Just wait until you see _this_ dress - the dinner dress." Unzipping it from it's cover, Anne places the dinner dress on my bed.

From the sight of it, I gasp. "This is, this is-"

"Red, white, and blue - the colors of the American flag." Anne proudly states. "We were going to make it look more like the actual flag, but we thought with a white top, a red bottom, and a blue bow with stars to tie it off was subtle yet screaming for attention. We had to ask many people to receive information about what the flag looks like and whatnot, but this quietly rebels against your purple dress, stating that you're ready for freedom and to fight for what you think is right. And, what makes it ten times better: you're doing it in style."

**Thank you all for reading! If you're looking for a picture of America's dress, you probably won't be able to find it. BUT... I did draw up a sketch of what I think it would look like but for some reason I cannot post a picture on here so I will just describe it. It's a white top that cuts down to a V (kind of low cut, pretty scandalous eh) then a little above the wait the fabric is red and falls to the floor. The sash to tie it is blue with white stars on it, tying it into a big bow in the back. Then the bottom outline of the dress is also blue with stars on it. TA DAAAA**


	4. Chapter 4 - Queen Material

**I'M SO SORRY I HAVEN'T POSTED I'VE JUST BEEN SO BUSY PLEASE DON'T HATE ME! So finals ended Friday, and I'm on break! Yayayay to that, and yayayay to you guys because you guys are too good for me :') thank y'all so much for reading, I appreciate it so much! 3**

**Also just a little note that I'm writing this fanfiction the way I expect The One to be - I'm not trying to show any bias of who I like America with right now, but you'll know in the end of the story :) hehehe onto chapter 4 we go!**

Chapter 4

"Ravishing. Absolutely ravishing." Lucy comments, sighing. "I wish I had a reason to dress up in all of these beautiful dresses. But nobody looks better than you in these gorgeous dresses. You're meant to be a queen, America."

I sigh. Sure, I look beautiful, but it's a different person in the reflection. "I don't look like myself, though. I appear about ten years my senior. Is there a reason for all this makeup and such?" My eyes are heavily blackened and my hair is pulled back into a braided bun, tightly wound around where my neck meets my head.

"Professionalism. That is all." Anne responds, mending the bottom of the dress.

By appearance, I easily could be a Two. My lips mirror the color of my hair and my blue eyes pop with the eyeliner and mascara. My image indisputably reflects Celeste's, and another sigh escapes through the crevice of my lips. Once Anne finishes the bottom of my dress, I steal another glimpse of myself in the mirror - and once again, my looks deceive me. This is what I never wanted to become - a fake royalty-wannabe who believes she's better than everyone else. For the third time, I sigh. Again.

Mary apologizes for the inconvenience of the act that I'm about to perform, and I just shrug my shoulders. No matter how hard I would fight, I'd never be able to free myself of the situation. I buried myself deep into the escapade to begin with, and this is my consequence. Sometimes, Karma works in cruel ways. Against the King, I feel powerless, as I should. Then again, so does Maxon. And the rest of society.

Two knocks sound at my door, and in peeks an eager Aspen. His eyes set on me and his mouth drops slightly, but he quickly adjusts his behavior because the maids are in my room. "Lady America, it is time for you to meet Silvia and these other ladies in the main hall."

"Thank you," I respond back, nodding my head. Aspen lingers just a little before shutting the door, taking in my new look. I couldn't tell if he liked it or not, and I don't even know what I want him to think anyways. Throwing my arms around my maids, I thank them profusely for the gorgeous dress. Traipsing toward the door, I open it with an attempt to be graceful, but fail in the process by stumbling a bit. Not my fault - I blame the shoes. The ever dreaded, over four-inch heels cause all my pain.

Aspen chuckles as I make my grand entrance out to the hallway, but says nothing. My eyes land on Elise wearing a deep red dress with intricate designs - probably dealing with her home roots, of course. Kriss supports a beautiful light pink dress that doesn't reach her knees, but it's still formal enough for an interview. And Celeste waltzes out of her bedroom in a black, sequined gown, a little to formal for the broadcast. But it's Celeste - no one can tell her what to do or what to wear.

All four of us traipse through the hallways to the main hall, and into a car to take us to be interviewed. Well, the other girls think they'll be interviewed, but it's just a moment for me to lie to all of Illéa. Congratulations to me.

I stare out the window - the trip is a short one, but it still feels like ages. Once we arrive, they take us all backstage and people fix up the imperfections on us. I already had on enough makeup, so I swat them away. They direct us all to spots on stage, and my eyes lock with Maxon's, who is already sitting. Queen Amberly smiles slightly at all of us, but King Clarkson glares in my direction.

They placed me next to Elise on the edge of the seats, but I do not mind. The people count down from ten, and soon we're live.

I take a deep breath and wear my best smile, trying to appear like nothing will happen. Gavril speaks to the Royal family, asking them about the past couple weeks in the palace. They all answer - sounding as perfect and rehearsed as possible. Maxon continues to glance toward the Selected, and Gavril notices as he focuses in to Maxon's point of view.

Gavril then begins to ask us questions, and everyone answers, except for me. I shoot my eyes past Gavril and to Maxon, where he faintly nods and grins in my direction. I do the same, and then I focus back on Gavril, who stares straight at me.

"America, I understand you have something to say to the people of Illéa?" Gavril questions, hushing the audience and focusing straight on me.

I glance nervously at the King whose eyes pierce through my skin, sending shivers down my back. I catch a glimpse of Maxon, and his eyes soften as he purses his lips. Taking a deep breath, I stand up, take a few steps forward onto the designated speaking area, and stare at the camera, waiting for my speech.

The words roll onto the teleprompter, and my mouth opens, speaking the words as monotonous as possible. "Hello, wonderful citizens of Illéa. My name is America Singer, and I was Selected in the Selection a few months back. Oh, what a wonderful experience it's been. The food and the luxury and Maxon, of course - I feel like I'm living in a dream." I do happen to glance over my shoulder, and Maxon's eyes twinkle as they meet mine. Maybe he thinks I wrote the speech - I hope not.

"And maybe that has been my mindset for the past couple of months - a fantasy. I dream of things I cannot, and will not, be able to achieve." I gulp, furrowing my eyebrows together deeply. "One of the opportunities I performed in, I completely overlooked the results of. About a week ago, I presented my report about demolishing the caste system. As a naïve seventeen-year-old girl, I believed that a world without balance would satisfy the country's equality problems. But after major reconsideration, I do not believe this anymore.

"Therefore, I apologize greatly for what I said, and I hope you all can forgive me. Then we can all go forth from this escapade and continue lives as they were in our beautiful Illéa!" The words stop, and I do not even smile. Curtseying ever so slightly, I step backward, find my seat next to Elise, and the audience doesn't make a sound. Gavril takes the attention away from me by thanking me and turns to the royal family, having a conversation with them. My mind is elsewhere - I do not hear anyone speak except, only the voices of what my loves ones would say to me if they were here.

My mom would cry, no doubt. May, too - because my mom is crying. They'd tell me they support me in making that speech and decision. My dad wouldn't say a thing - he'd just shake his head in disappointment.

If only they knew I actually didn't feel that way about it.

Did I just let down the country? Did people even care about this? Of course the rebels did, but what about the nonrebels? This definitely should've opened their eyes to the situation, at least it -

"America! We're done." Celeste snaps her fingers in front of my face, placing her hands on her hips after. "Do you have a screw loose in your brain or something? I just tried getting your attention for a solid thirty seconds. You've been so different lately - just zoned out, quiet, and unlike the usual... you."

Celeste pivots away and walks off stage, leaving me in awe. Was that generosity or just my imagination? Celeste has some _pleasantness_ in her?

Leaving the question unanswered, I stand and follow Celeste, having about a million people directing me in a million different directions. I do make it back to the castle okay, but I feel a little lost on the way back. I hope I did not just break the hearts of millions of lower caste numbers, because I know I broke my heart doing that.

Right as my first foot touches the staircase, a hand taps my shoulder. I swivel in my heels, losing my balance and two hands grab my waist, helping me stay upon my feet. Glancing upward, my eyes lock with Maxon's, and he smiles with a bit of sadness. "You okay, America?"

I attempt to find equilibrium in my body. "Well, my life feels like it's ripping at the seams right now, so no, Maxon. I am not okay, but I'll pretend like I am. As long as I look alright, I'm okay. That's what I've learned here in this place and I have no way of escaping it."

Maxon scoffs. "You're complaining to me about this? I've been living in this place for all my life, I believe I know what it's like." He reaches out to grab my hand and laces our fingers together. They fit so perfectly together that my heart speeds up. "Let me walk you to your room. We both have to get ready for this dinner." He rolls his eyes and we begin to walk upstairs in silence.

Breaking the ice, I ask the question: "What's the purpose of this dinner tonight, anyway?"

He glances over at me. "My dad wants me to eliminate another by the end of the night. I have no idea who I want to send home. I recognized something - something _big_ - while you were speaking for the Report." Maxon murmurs, no louder than a hush.

This is it. He wants to send me home. My heartbeat plummets, and I furrow my eyebrows together. "You can just send me home now. You don't have to wait until after the dinner." My eyes fill with tears, and I try to blink them away but they continue to well in my eyes. "I'm sorry for what I've done to your fami-"

"America, hush." Maxon places his hands on my shoulders, and his eyes stare straight into mine. Our walk slows to a stop. "I couldn't send you home even if I was forced to. You're too important. But what I actually learned was that I discovered that some people are more queen material than others. And although you believe that you are not, I believe you are the most competent."

As a tear falls, I quickly wipe it away, absolutely confused. I do not say anything, however. "Well, America, here's your room. I will see you tonight, and I hope you will save me a dance or two." He leans in and places a peck of a kiss on my forehead, wrapping his hands around me in a hug, encompassing me into him. For that short moment, it sparks.

Hope. Hope sparks.

**Thank you guys for reading! New chapter up tomorrow, I promise! You guys will be getting a lot of updates because I'm getting surgery on Friday and I won't be able to do anything for a while. So that's a plus, isn't it? :)**


	5. Chapter 5 - Giovanna

**Guys I'm so sorry. As you know the holidays are always crazy, and I had surgery last Friday. My medicine makes me so tired - it's just three different... things of narcotics and I'm always sleeping. I also stayed in the hospital overnight because there were possible complications but everything turned out okay! I'm alive and well, I promise :) Onto the chapter! Don't hate meeee for making this so late :(**

Chapter 5

My maids' eyes have darkened circles under them from all the work they've done for the dinner and for me. With two hours before the actual dinner, they plead to stay and help me get ready, but I order them to go get some rest while I get ready myself. They persistently try to stay, but eventually I persuade them just enough to get ready all alone. I open my wardrobe and grab the dress, gently placing it on my bed.

I unzip it from it's holder and stare it. It's absolutely stunning. The way the red and the white flow together by the help of the blue ribbon with stars. How the v-neck cuts down a little lower than I'm comfortable with, but tonight I will accept it. Tonight I will act like I own the palace, like Maxon is mine, and I will be utterly beautiful while doing so.

Waltzing into the bathroom, I splash my face with water and rinse off all the makeup on my face. It's a clean slate, and I feel much more comfortable this way. But I know I need to put something on my face, so I grab the powder and lightly dust my face, brightening my skin. I contemplate putting on anything more, but I decide not to because it's sincerely not my style. Wrapping my hand around my tight bun, I pull it out, and my hair falls in long waves down my back. I'm amazed at how simple that worked out to be - I expected to tug at my hair for a couple of hours before it looked acceptable.

But here I am, standing in front of my own reflection, looking a bit like myself again. And it feels _fabulous_.

What would my father say? He'd be proud. Mother would be... uncomfortable at my quiet rebellion. May would just admire the dress and compliment me, probably wrap her arms around me and never let me go. Oh, May, how I miss that girl. I wish I could see her again soon. She would give me a taste of old America.

I hear three faint knocks on the door, and I peak my head out of my bathroom to see if it's on my door and the knocks sound again, so I rush and open the door. There stands Aspen and another officer that looks vaguely familiar - but I cannot put a name onto him. I've seen him before, but I cannot-

"Lady America, Officer Pratt and I are here to escort you down to the dinner. Are you almost ready? You look wonderful, I might add." Aspen speaks, very orderly.

Officer Pratt. That was his name. He appears about Aspen's age, and is tall and handsome at the same time with a glowing smile, blonde hair, and bright blue eyes, reflecting my own. His eyes drill into me, and he quickly takes one full glimpse of my dress and a smile creases on his face. "Whenever you're ready, Lady America. We will escort you."

"I will be ready in a few moments, I need shoes." I open my wardrobe and my eyes land on a brand new pair of red heels, way too tall for me to walk in. I sigh. My maids would do this, but I grab the shoes and slip them on my feet, feeling the perfect fit. Taking a step, I wobble a bit, but the men grab onto both of my arms, stabilizing me and both chuckling a bit. "You two might have to stay at my side for a little longer than just an escort."

We all break out in a fit of laughter, and my eyes land on Aspen, to the right of me. He's staring directly at me and when we made eye contact, he just smiled even wider. I flipped my head forward so I wouldn't look at him and so my heart wouldn't break just a little. His stare is mesmerizing, and if I don't get tangled in it, then I wouldn't be caught up in him. I have a mission tonight and he's not going to stop it.

They lead me through the labyrinth of the house and we finally reach the top of the main stairwell where all the other girls are waiting for me. Elise wears a slimming black strapless dress, matching the color of her hair and looking as beautiful as ever. Kriss supports a pale yellow dress that deepens the color of her skin, wearing her hair pinned up and a red lipstick. She looks... radiant. And Celeste, with her hair straight, wears a maroon dress with black lace sleeves, very intricate. Only Celeste would have a dress that overdone.

But when they see me, their mouths drop, even Celeste's. Kriss exclaims, "America, you're dress is breathtaking! You look absolutely magnificent." Elise nods her head in agreement, and Celeste just stares, regaining her composure.

"Ladies, ladies, ladies. Stand in the order Elise, Kriss, Celeste, America. This is the order you will be brought down the stairs in by your escorts. I'm sorry we haven't had time to practice this, but this dinner is important. There are guests from all around the world that flew in. We have representatives from multiple countries coming to see if Illéa is an amiable ally, so best behavior, _all_ of you." Silvia glances up and glares at me. "Also attending are the Prince and Princess from Egypt, the Princess from Brazil, and the Princes from Portugal. So I repeat, _best behavior_. You will be escorted by a count of ten, given by me. When America goes downstairs, your escorts will drop off and you will mingle with all the people, hopefully the right ones and hopefully you will mingle _well_. Now, I will give the count beginning in exactly..." Silvia checks her watch. "Thirty two seconds!"

My eyes widen by all the information that is thrown at me in such short notice. I did not know or believe that this dinner could be as immense as it is supposed to be. I take a deep breath, and Silvia calls for the first lady to be escorted. Elise glides down the steps with such grace, and I worry that I'll trip all over the place.

Kriss takes off down the stairs with poise as well, and I take another deep breath. If I over think it I will fall. Celeste. Oh, Celeste. She's the paradigm of elegance. Of course she is. The way she walks, the way she presents herself...

Silvia gives me my queue and Aspen and Officer Pratt tighten their grips around me, and I begin floating down the stairs. My eyes gaze the audience, and everyone is watching me - there is not one person not with their eyes on me. I smile widely, and my eyes land on King Clarkson's - he's glaring at me. I still smile and turn my head in the other direction, skimming the audience. I reach the bottom of the stairs without falling and I happen to grin even wider. I sneak a glance of my escorts and they are completely straight-faced, probably as ordered. They guide me into the room and drop me off, bowing at my presence. I curtsy back in respect, and turn to see all of the other selected staring directly at me.

"How did you do it so gracefully?" Elise asks me in a hushed whisper. "You looked unquestionably perfect descending those stairs. I was freaking out the whole way down and I stumbled on a step!"

I was graceful? I wouldn't have known, because I focused on everything except for the steps. All of the selected separate and right as I turn around, I collide with a foreign-appearing man, wearing a white suit with gold designs all over the front. I remember noticing him in the audience - it's hard to miss someone so sparkling.

He gently touches the side of my arm, and an apologetic look wipes across his face. "I'm so sorry, Lady America. I truly am. I did not mean to displease you." He has a heavy accent, so heavy I can barely understand him.

"It's alright, you do not need to worry about it." I respond back, sending him a smile.

"I am Prince Alim of Egypt. I was hoping I'd get to speak to you; I've heard much about you from the royal family. You seem like you've made an impact on them." After Prince Alim stops talking, another woman, wearing a white dress with gold designs, approaches his side. I'm guessing it's the Princess. "Lady America, this is my beautiful wife, Princess Kiya. Kiya, this is Lady America."

She beams a beautiful smile, and reaches out her hand. "Your entrance was absolutely exquisite, my dear."

My dear. I shutter at what she just called me, but I do not say anything, because it's rude. I have to be on my best behavior, or else Silvia might kill me in my sleep. "Thank you very much. And thank you for coming to this event, despite how last minute it was planned."

"Last minute? We knew about this for a while now. We landed three days ago for the event. King Clarkson would never plan something so suddenly. It means it wouldn't be as perfect as he wanted. He wouldn't be able to spoil his guests with riches from Illéa or Illéa's wonderful food. King Clarkson is a master at planning parties like so, wouldn't you agree, America?" Princess Kiya questions back. He's had this planned for a while now?

I continue speaking with the Royals of Egypt, but my head is somewhere else. The King might have power, everyone knows, but he has more power than we all know. He dangerously has_ too _much power. I dismiss myself from conversation, and Kiya, being her peppy self, envelopes me in a strong hug. Well, I've done something right so far.

Making my way through the crowd of people, people stare at me. People from other countries, people from Illéa, and it makes me uncomfortable. They must know that I seem somewhat different than how I normally do.

"America," a voice bellows from behind me, and I realize it can only be one person: the King. I gulp and turn around, my eyes meeting his. "You look... ravishing in that dress." He emphasizes the words 'ravishing' and 'dress,' and I furrow my eyebrows. "It's a smart little act you're pulling here. But remember what I told you a little while back? You don't want me as an enemy, America. You truly don't."

I put my hands up in defense, and I begin to speak. "I didn't mean to -"

"Don't give me that, Ms. America. I know you for sure did with the help of your maids. Did you know you've granted your maids privileges they are not allowed? How I just recognized this, I have no idea. But your maids have been... relocated. You have new maids starting tonight." King Clarkson smiles an evil smile and turns away, beginning to speak with a new person.

My mouth drops and tears begin to fill my eyes. I blink them away successfully - now is not a time to cry. While I'm doing so, I feel a tap on my shoulder, and I pivot on my feet to see Maxon standing there, looking as clean and crisp in a black suit and tie. We greet formally - kissing cheeks - and he takes my hand for a dance. I cannot say no because, well, first it's Maxon, and second, I'm never supposed to deny a dance from a royal.

We begin to dance, and Maxon just grins at me. His smile begins eating away my sadness. "America, you look amazing. Your dress is - " Maxon struggles to find a word, so he leaves it at that. "You leave me speechless. But you look like you are having a dreadful time. Tell me what's wrong."

I shrug, glancing down at my feet to make sure I'm following Maxon's steps. I hear him chuckle in response. "There have just been a lot of things going on tonight and I don't know if I have a full grip on them."

"Tell me about it." Maxon sighs, glancing over my shoulder into the sea of people. "Just speaking with many people have opened my eyes to new ideas about the country and I have no idea how I'm going to run this place when I get older."

"Or plan a war, because you _are_ terrible at those," I joke, creating a light atmosphere. Maxon chuckles again, and we continue to chat about anything and everything that we can for the next five minutes before the song ends.

Releasing a sigh, Maxon lets go of my waist. "I wish I could dance with you forever, America."

"I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to dance with me _forever,_" I jest back at him, and of course he smiles. "You know I'm a lousy dancer."

He nods. "True, but tonight you've been a lot more graceful than most, and do not take offense to that." Maxon clasps his arm around mine. "I want to introduce you to an old friend. I feel as if you two will be wonderful friends. She reminds me much of you."

Maxon guides me through the maze of people, and finally we approach a table where a beautiful girl, Maxon's age, sits sipping on champagne. They even look a bit alike, with the sun-kissed hair. Her hair is braided down her back and she supports a pale pink gown, contrasting against her tanned skin. "America, this is Princess Giovanna, the Princess of Brazil. Giovanna, this is Lady America."

"So she's the famous one you've been telling me about," Princess Giovanna grins back at Maxon, her eyes trailing onto me. "I can tell why you like her so much, Maxon."

I turn my head to glance at Maxon, who's only smiling back. He glimmers with that smile. Kissing Giovanna's hand and my cheek, Maxon disappears into the crowd, leaving me alone with the Princess.

Princess Giovanna pats the chair next to her. "Sit, America, please. I've been extremely bored this whole time. These things really aren't my favorite. I've never been much of a party person. But I digress. So, America, I applaud you. First of all, for standing up against the royal family. King Clarkson has always scared the jeebers out of me. But you just suggest the idea of no castes - girl, you are my hero. How'd the speech go today?"

"How do you know this much about me?" I reply, cocking my head to the side in confusion.

"Maxon and I keep in touch. We're good friends. But really, how'd it go?"

I tell her everything including all of King Clarkson's threats. She listens intently, and her facial expressions show that she's actually interested. A waiter comes around and I take a glass of champagne, so we both sip sparingly, but I feel it tingling through my body.

"- so that's why I'm wearing this dress because it's what the old American flag looked like." I finish, and Giovanna just smiles and shakes her head. She bursts out into a fit of laughter, clenching onto her champagne and placing her other hand on my arm for stabilization. I ask her what's so funny.

She stops laughing. "You just amaze me in so many different ways. No wonder why Maxon likes you so much. It's because you are a pure reflection of what he wants in a wife. You might not be displaying it in the right ways, but it's true. You are a perfect queen, America. If you do become the queen, and I bet you will, there's no way in hell I wouldn't be an ally with Illéa. You'd push the country in the right freaking direction."

**Thank you all for reading! I plan on having another chapter up tomorrow, because I won't be at school again. MI'm so sorry, but I really hope you enjoyed!**


	6. Chapter 6 - Challenge Accepted

**Warning - there are some... well... if I put it simply... read at your own risk it might or might not get a little PG-13 for this story but yeah okay here we go woo**

Chapter 6

Maxon interrupts my conversation with Princess Giovanna to steal a few more dances out of me, and I gladly accept. Together we waltz the dance of Illéa a few times before we are both danced out and absolutely exhausted. Maxon laughs at my dancing skills and I just shoot back responses that I was a born musician, not a dancer. He jokes around with me, saying things like "music is in your bones, but not your feet?" or "how do you fit for shoes with those two left feet of yours?" Our laughs power out the other noise in the room, and it feels like it is just Maxon and I when we dance, (or attempt to).

I catch a glimpse of Kriss, Celeste, and Elise who stare at Maxon and I with evil eyes. Celeste I imagined, but Kriss and Elise I did not. Probably because I stole Maxon away from them for a majority of the night. But as I turn my head to look around more, my eyes meet with King Clarkson's and he's glaring right at me from his throne. Queen Amberly, however, watches us with absolute delight. She seems to have already forgotten my mishap a little while back.

When we begin our next dance, Maxon's attitude takes a three-sixty. His smile disappears and he sighs multiple times.

I straighten up, catching his attention. "Maxon, are you okay?" I whisper quietly into his ear. "I'm trying to forget how miserable I was until I met Giovanna and then we started dancing, but you are reminding me of it again."

"I have to make a decision of who to let go." Maxon states and sighs once more. "I mean, I think I already have an idea, but I can never be so sure, you know? I just don't know - well, I shouldn't be confiding in another Elite, should I? I can't help myself. I don't -"

"Maxon," I assert, quieting him. He stares at me with his stirringly gentle brown eyes, like he waits for an answer. "I'm not here to tell you who to eliminate. But whatever you do, it's going to be right. I promise you that you will make the right decision because you do _you_ best." My reassuring words cause his shoulders from being so tense. He takes a deep breath and together we dance in silence until the song ends.

Maxon grabs my hand so delicately, and like he did in the gardens earlier, he kisses each finger ever so tenderly. I watch the gesture and my eyes flicker to his, which are set on mine. He smiles after he kisses my pinky, then leans in and kisses my cheek to be polite. Maxon excuses himself from me, saying that he cannot hog me for the whole night.

The night slowly begins to come to a stop as the guests file out little by little. The crowd thins and I find myself alone, again, and trying to spot Maxon, but he's nowhere to be found. I sigh, because he's probably taking a walk with another Elite and telling them how beautiful she is while I'm all alone and vulnerable. Vulnerable to what? I don't quite know myself, but I know I'm vulnerable.

My eyes skim the room again as I spot Giovanna being interviewed by Gavril. I smile because she looks beautiful while doing so, adding a chuckle here or just smiling while she talks. I'm glad that I made a friend tonight - I hope Maxon will allow me to keep in touch with her while she's back in Brazil.

All of a sudden, I see Giovanna make a surprised face and her glance directly at me. Gavril turns around and stares straight at me. Cameras rush toward me and I'm being filmed - just standing there. Giovanna rushes to my side, grabs my hand, and pulls me out of the ball and up the stairs, with the cameras trailing. "Go to your room - it'd be best. I think I just said too much on camera!" She warns me in a murmur.

I begin to lead her down the maze of the palace to my room. I pull her in and shut the door, locking it behind me. "What exactly did you say?" My voice rises in volume as I feel my blood begin to boil. "I thought I could -"

"Nothing bad, I promise!" Giovanna pleads, turning around and beginning to pace. "It was a casual interview. He began asking me about the Elites and my opinions of them, and I tell them that you're my favorite - of course. Then he asked to tell me why and I just say that you're so strong and how you chose to quietly, um, what's the word... defy the King's rulings in the most discreet way possible. I didn't say that you were actually against his way of ruling. America, I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to. Please. I don't want to lose you as a friend."

I bury my head into my hands, finding my bed and laying down on it. I don't feel tears, I just feel embarrassment. I feel vulnerable to the King. He will see that footage when it airs tomorrow morning and I will have absolutely have fired up King Clarkson. This'll be the end of my journey. I'd be returning home.

"America, I support you. One hundred percent. Whatever happens, I'm behind you, even if I'm five thousand miles away. I will offer my alliance only if it's you in line to be in throne. You can handle this, I know you can. Maxon told me you could handle this. You are America for Pete's sake, you are strong. I might have only known you for a few hours, but from what Maxon has told me, I know. I cannot ever say I'm sorry enough. I have to go, but I wish you the best, Lady America."

I uncover my eyes to see Giovanna gone. Just like that and she disappears. I don't even know what to feel.

A few moments later, my door opens and in barge three ladies I've never seen before - my new maids. They look beaten down, torn apart, but fierce. They look fierce.

"Lady America, my name is Joanna. I am your new head maid. This is Hadley and this is Aliza. We were ordered by the King to, in his own words, _'babysit'_ you." Joanna puts in quotes, rolling her eyes. She straightens her posture and begins to speak again. "It is time for you to get ready for bed and lights out in thirty minutes."

The maids grab my dress, unzip me, and throw on my nightgown like complete robots. I've been completely stripped of my freedom and my dignity. There's nothing left here for me to have taken away. They lead me into the bathroom, cleanse my face and brush my teeth for me. They then dismiss themselves, reminding me that they will be back in exactly thirty minutes to make sure I'm in bed or else the King will have to be involved.

I want to cry. I want to give up. I want to curl up in a ball, cry, then go home. But something reminds me why I'm here, so I don't cry. I steal a glance of the clock which read three minutes past midnight, and I sneak out the door which has no stationed guard. Aspen has really been slacking at his job lately.

Hearing footsteps, I run back into my room but leave the door cracked and my head so I can peak out. My vision makes out a woman, about my height, and dark brown hair. I then hear a whisper and figure it's Elise, it has to be. As I begin to open the door, she turns around and tears streak down her face as she carries a little bag. I put two and two together, and realize that Maxon let Elise go.

Shutting the door, I stare at the blank wall. She was one of the only people that could keep me sane in this castle. It wasn't my first choice, but she was one of them. And now she's gone.

I have to say goodbye to her. My hand twists the knob and I run out into the hallway, beginning to follow her. A hand touches my shoulder as I begin to pick up my feet, and I stop in my tracks. Pivoting, I find myself face to face with Maxon, and he just shakes his head, telling me I shouldn't chase after her.

"I had to, America. I didn't feel anything with her. My dad might think this is a power game, but for me, it's not about the power." Maxon murmurs, placing both his hands on my shoulders. "Can we talk in your room?"

I nod, and Maxon grabs the handle, opening the door for me. I traipse into my room, sitting on the edge of the bed. He follows in my footsteps, sitting right beside me. "I understand Maxon, I truly do."

I climb completely on my bed, laying my head on my pillow. I stare at the light, which flickers ever so slightly. Maxon follows my footsteps, and I turn to face him only to come face to face with his, well, face. He smirks rather vaguely and crashes his lips against mine. There is some kind of fire to this kiss, like it's melting the ice between us.

I scoot my body closer to his, and he wraps his hands around my body, cocooning my body in his. My hands tangle themselves deep in his hair, and I feel his tongue explore new territories outside of his lips. He begins kissing my collarbone and all areas around it, but finds my lips again and his tongue slips into my mouth. My hands unravel from his hair and slowly find their way to his shirt, which so conveniently happens to be a button down shirt. Maxon separates our lips and stares at me, nodding lightly. I take it as approval to unbutton his shirt, so I begin on the first button, easily sliding my hands down the shirt until I slip it off him and throw it on the ground.

I trace my hands along his defined muscles, tracing them as we kiss. His hands begin to explore the hem of my nightgown, lightly pushing it upward. My breath hitch as I feel his fingers skim my legs, and he slides it to my waist, revealing my... underwear. I feel strangely unclothed but I don't seem to mind as he continues to push it upward.

Right as he pushes it toward my belly button, the door begins to open and I gasp, pushing Maxon off the bed. He falls to the ground with an "uumph" and I "sshh" him, quickly pulling my nightgown down and climbing under the covers. My eyes dart over to the door to see one of the maids peek her head in.

"America, lights out." With that, she glances at the switch but does a double take to something laying on the floor. My eyes trail her vision, and I realize she's staring at Maxon's shirt. She shakes her head.

I attempt to reason with her. "He um, well that was from when he couldn't decide what to wea-"

"Save it, sugar." She turns out the lights and slams the door, and I just hear Maxon chuckling from below.

I peek my head over the side of the bed to see Maxon staring at me. "What's so funny?"

Maxon stands up, twists his back to stretch, and climbs onto my bed next to me. "You're terrible at lying." Occupying the space next to mine, I flip over to face him. "You don't mind if I stay here for the night, do you? I'll be out in the morning before anyone could tell I was gone. It will be our second first night spent together."

My lips curve upward. "Of course, but I might kick you in my sleep."

"Challenge accepted." He grins, wrapping his arm around me and enveloping me into him.

* * *

My eyes flutter open to be awakened by the natural light. The bed feels empty, and I turn over to see the bed left messy with no Maxon. I still happen to bring a smile about my face, remembering what happened last night.

I begin to run my bath, and wonder where my new maids are. I ignore that and cleanse myself, taking a little more time than normal. Wrapping a towel around my body, I clothe myself, style my hair, and make my bed to hopefully start on the right foot with my new maids. With time to spare, I exit my room with an extra spring in my step and waltz down to the dining room, where I take my seat.

Then I remember what happened last night with Giovanna.

The Report flickers on right as the royal family walks in. I take a deep breath and avoid eye contact with anyone. My eyes remain locked on the television as Gavril's face appears with a wide smile.

He narrates the intricacy of the decorations. He also mentions how the party took days of preparation, which I do not know what to believe because of when the party was announced to the Selected versus what the Prince and Princess of Egypt told me. They show clips of the royal family - dancing, talking, laughing - and then they show clips of the Selected. They show me, and a lot of me, especially chatting with Giovanna. As I see her, fury bubbles through my blood. This is possibly the last meal I could spend with Maxon. Deciding to separate my vision from the television, I steal a glimpse of Maxon who sees me and smiles at me.

He makes the announcement of Elise's departure, and then it goes back to a shot of Gavril talking, and signing off.

They mentioned nothing about Giovanna's interview. My eyebrows knit deep together in absolute confusion.

I glance down at my plate, which has a little note on it. That's when my smile widens.

_A-_

_I am a princess, in fact. I have power, too._

_-G_

**EHFKLSDJKFLSD so I'm 17 right hookups are common for someone my age but writing that... SOUFYISDFJKSD I have no other way to describe it I'm sorry it was so weird**

**But ugh boys raise your hand if you have an extreme love/hate relationship with them ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh ugh THEY'RE SO HOT pardon my emotions right now**

**Anyways thanks for reading! I love you all I hope I didn't disturb any young minds :| new chapter up tomorrow!**


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